K.V. Johansen

It’s not science fiction that makes us nervous about of autonomous weapons platforms breaking free of human command- it’s history.

Control of warriors has been an unending struggle.

The founding myth of the English is of mercenaries who topple a kingdom.

Dot and Dick in the observatory watching as the Martians come up to meet them. That's the start of everything, for me -- Winter Holiday was the first Ransome I read.

Creation
Bertram Brooker
c. 1927

Last day of #February #BoleHills view. #artgraf blocks #caseinwhite #PithSketchbook

All books from CMU Press | booksellers.ca | Purchase print books and eBooks online A network of over 100 bookstores, more than 500,000 print books or eBooks, unparalleled expertise. It is possible to buy local on the Web!

It's been a long time coming. Canadian independent bookstores have banded together to create an online book buying source so you can avoid the behemoth in the room. (Here are the titles published by CMU Press, which I run.)
Spread the word #booksky!

www.booksellers.ca/publisher/cmu-press-18021

A small kākāpō chick and a hatching egg in a nest. Credit: Andrew Digby

Checking on #kakapo Waa's nest on Anchor Island a couple of nights ago: a day-old chick (Waa-A3-2026), and an externally-pipped egg, which hatched a few hours' later. #conservation #parrots #birds

writersunion.ca/news/nova-sc...

Landscape with Snow
Tom Thomson
1916

Letter to the editor about the dangers of gen AI. (Bluesky says it's too long for alt text)

Well now I’m making my town’s usage of AI slop images, and the library holding a session on how to use a technology that has stolen all my books, everyone’s problem. This will be in print in The Retrospect tomorrow (and I’ll post photos then too).

Just wait until he learns who the Allies were fighting against in World War II.

We ended up buying a dvd player that could play European dvds just so we could watch Deutschland 86 & 89 as well.

It's great! We've watched all three series a couple of times.

An 18th C. rocking chair...

The process that led to the Holocaust didn't start with killing people.

First it made them non-people.

Then it killed them.

The Great Comet of 1881
Paterson Ewen
1994

I've got more non-fiction than fiction in my stack and on the go at present!

Hey, @princejvstin.com, this caught my attention -- might be something you'd find interesting too!

Enough politics. It is publication day for the paperback edition for The Far Edges of the Known World; it's a book that has been described in reviews as both strikingly and refreshingly original.

So if you fancy reading about the ancient world from a different perspective - give it a read!

So good it makes me want to get up and pace around; needs a physical outlet, like a dog bouncing in excitement.

Working on the final polish for Raven and I'm halfway through, having hit a section that is just so totally gripping it's hard to slow down and notice every word, every comma, to see if it can be made better.

So I feel (both as a reader & author) like discoverability of new books is down lately, especially for the midlist. Please tell me some recently published (past year-ish) SFF books you loved that are midlist/overlooked/deserve more hype! (And please share your recs/this list!)

My recs in reply!

Dave Hutchinson, The Essence. Finn Longman, The Wolf and his King. James Alistair Henry, Pagans. Jo Graham, Blood of the Bull. I'm sure there were other recent midlist books I really enjoyed but at the moment my mind's gone blank.

The govt needs to start making this free to over-fifties or something like that. Huge savings to healthcare system in the long run. Right now it's not even covered by Blue Cross, so most of those with prescription insurance still have to pay $$$. It'd be cheaper if the govt was buying in bulk, too.

Maybe he takes afternoon naps.

A total solar eclipse seen from space.

The shadow of the Moon looks like a giant bruise from the perspective of the astronauts aboard the ISS.

#astronomy

Image: NASA

The party planning was obviously left to mere puppies hyped on energy drinks.

As Ukraine marks Crimea Day, the lesson stands: Crimea was the warning.

The world didn’t listen—and paid the price.

Russia is trying to set the stage for a false flag attack. They are claiming that France and the UK are going to smuggle tactical nukes to Ukraine for use against Russia. That's definitely made up.

And I enjoyed making it. If I ever make a better one, this effort will become Spare Head #1.

The cover for Fight Like A Girl #1, edited by Roz Clarke & Joanne Hall. The images shows a woman with short red hair wearing a vest, combat trousers and boots. She carried a machine gun. Around her are images of various playing cards showing items that she might use to fight with. Art by Oisin McGann.

Cover reveal! Because you asked for it, we are bringing Fight Like A Girl #1 back into print. Here is Oisin McGann's fabulous cover for the new edition.